1981 Spaceport News Summary
Updates From Previous Summaries And Else Following up from the 1980 Spaceport News Summary and the puzzle question about the Saturn V damper arm, Alan Littlefield provided the following: “I can’t recall who told me (one of the old Apollo guys), but the short answer was that the original damper proved ineffective and a new damper was designed for the forward attach point. I suspect the lower point ended up at a node.” Thanks a bunch Alan! Following up from the 1980 Spaceport News Summary, since the SRB recovery ships were mentioned and shown in tht Summary, here is it what happened to Freedom Star and Liberty Star after the Shuttle Program. From Wikipedia, “…On August 21, 2012, NASA agreed to transfer the Liberty Star to the U.S. Department of Transportation for use as a training vessel at the United States Merchant Marine Academy. The ship arrived at Kings Point, New York, on September 13, 2012, with formal turnover occurring on September 14. After being refit for training duty, which included additional berthing, she was renamed TV Kings Pointer, the fifth vessel of the Academy to carry that name. The transfer agreement stipulated that NASA could again use the vessel on future missions if she was available.” From Wikipedia, “…On September 28, 2012, Freedom Star was transferred to the U.S. Department of Transportation's James River Reserve Fleet for potential use as a training vessel.” From the Searfarers International Union website, “The SIU-affiliated Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education (PHC) has a new training vessel. She is the…” United States Naval Ship “…USNS Freedom Star, a National Defense Reserve Fleet vessel on loan from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD)… …The Freedom Star was built in 1981 by Atlantic Marine Shipyard, Fort George Island, Florida and was delivered as UTC Freedom. Her virtually identical sister ship (also owned by MARAD), the MV Liberty Star, was built in 1980 by the same manufacturer and was delivered as the UTC Liberty…”. From the United Stated Merchant Marine Academy website, “…The United States Maritime Administration acquired both vessels in and around 2012 and re-assigned them as training vessels. Kings Pointer (formally Liberty Star) finished her conversions and arrived at the Academy in 2013 time frame. Freedom Star still maintains her original name and is the training vessel at the Seafarers International Union training school in Piney Point MD…”
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Freedom Star, Post Shuttle
Kings Pointer
From The January 2, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Shuttle Moved To Pad 39-A”. Part of the article reads “The countdown has truly begun. Beginning at 8 a.m. Monday, the ticking away of seconds until first launch of the revolutionary Space Shuttle became almost audible. At that moment, the STS-1 stack began its movement from the V AB to launch pad 39A… …At a ceremony to observe the rollout, about 5,000 visitors heard Center Director Dick Smith, prime crewmembers John Young and Bob Crippen and other dignitaries praised the efforts of all involved with the Space Shuttle program. Also present for the ceremony
Page 2 were former KSC Directors Kurt Debus and Lee Scherer, several political figures and nearly 200 reporters from all over the globe…”
Also in this issue; “First Shuttle-carried Experiments Will Study ·Earth”. In part, the article reads “What minerals lie undetected beneath the earth's crust and where are they? How dense is carbon monoxide in the troposphere?...... Scientists hope to find ways to answer these questions with five of the six experiments aboard the second Space Shuttle mission. The experiments are part of a payload sponsored by the Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications (OSTA). Most of them will be aboard a "pallet" tucked away in the Orbiter's cargo bay… …The experiment pallet, recently moved to the first cargo test stand at Kennedy Space Center, will now undergo final checkout and precargo systems integration. The caption for the following photo is “The OSTA experiment pallet is checked in a mockup of the orbiter cargo bay within the Operations and Checkout Building.”
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More in this issue; “Work Begins On Light Tank”. A portion of the articles reads “Assembly of the Space Shuttle's first lightweight external propellant tank began in November at the Marshall Space Flight Center's Michaud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, La… …The first lightweight tank is expected to be completed and ready for delivery in the summer of 1982, in time to support the Space Shuttle's fifth launch. The modified tank will be 6,000 pounds lighter than its predecessor, and will therefore increase the Shuttle's payload-carrying capability by about the same amount…
…To accomplish this weight reduction, the External Tank has been redesigned to incorporate the results of a recently completed structural test program. The program showed that it is possible to reduce the thickness of many of the aluminum skin panels without affecting the integrity of the tank….”
And another article; “Mobile Cargo Home Tested”. In part, the article reads “…Looking very strange indeed, the space age canister actually is a moveable home for payloads and is also a painstakingly engineered airtight container that precisely duplicates the interior dimensions of the orbiter's cargo bay. It provides the clean environment necessary while orbiter payloads are being moved around the space center. Horizontal
Page 4 payloads, for example, are verified in the Operations and Checkout Building, then are moved to the Orbiter Processing Facility for installation. Vertical payloads, verified at the Vertical Processing Facility, must be moved to the launch pad for installation via the Rotating Service Structure…”
“PAYLOAD CANISTER is transported out of VAB (left) to Pad A, where it underwent tests (right)”
The following, also in this issue, is a neat photo of Bob Crippen in the White Room in the VAB; the lesser known of the White Rooms, versus the one at the Pad.
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“Astronaut Bob Crippen, prime crew pilot for the first Space Shuttle mission, enters the orbiter Columbia during Shuttle Integrated Tests in the Vehicle Assembly Building. The tests were conducted before the rollout to the pad, and included four simulated space missions.”
And finally in this issue; “Smith Hosts Noel Coffee”. This is the first time I recall seeing this feature in the Spaceport News. Looks like this tradition started in December 1979 according to the article! In part, the article reads “Many KSC employees took time a week before Christmas to share a little holiday cheer with Center Director Richard Smith and his staff. About 1,500 people attended one of three coffees held in the Headquarters Building, Operations and Checkout Building or Launch Control Center lobbies…
… The custom for the get together was started last year, and was so warmly received that this year invitations also were extended to the 700 KSC retirees from the area…”
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“Center Director Richard G. Smith (center) greets friends at a Christmas Coffee in the Mission Briefing Room of the O&C.”
The January 16, 1981, Spaceport News
This is the headline; “Plugs Pulled' During On-pad Power Test”. In part, the article reads “After more than 40 hours of tests and preparations, the spaceship's systems were operating independently, the umbilicals had been dropped, the astronauts were in their seats, and the launch command was initiated…
…The GOX (gaseous oxygen) vent arm was retracted two minutes and 50 seconds before T-0 (simulated take-off). A T-0, tail service masts on both sides of the orbiter, that carry outside supplies of hydrogen, oxygen and other services, were disconnected. And, at the same time, the arm that collects vented hydrogen and transfers it harmlessly to the burning pond was disconnected…
…Umbilicals tying the spaceship to ground services were disconnected through a combination of ground pyrotechnics and mechanical eject devices. The test was termed a “complete success”…
The following photo was also on the first page. The caption for the photo reads “TECHNICIANS INSTALL elements of the Columbia's avionics system shortly after the Space Shuttle's move to the pad.” The photo in itself is rather interesting as it shows workers at the Orbiter 50-1 door, with a temporary access board on top of the LH2 TSM.
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Normal access to the 50-1 door is through the Rotating Service Structure (RSS), which is not extended in the photo.
Does anyone know what is going on in this photo, as in, why is access to the Orbiter being done this way rather than via the RSS?
Also in this issue; “Shuttle Flight Crews Briefed On Slide To Safety”. A portion of the article reads “Both the primary and backup astronaut crews for the first Space Shuttle flight got some valuable experience at the pad here last week. The four, plus other astronauts and some ground support personnel, were briefed on the use of the emergency pad escape system, known as the "slidewire.”…
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“ASTRONAUT JOHN YOUNG climbs into slidewire basket, joining Shuttle pilot Bob Crippen during emergency egress training.”
And one last article in this issue; “Holiday Visitors Crowd Center”. In part, the article reads “…On Dec. 29, the day STS-1 (Columbia) took its slow but majestic crawl to the pad, an estimated 20,376 people crowded through the Visitors Center. That was 4,000 more than the previous high mark set in the Christmas season of 1972. The next day promptly became the second highest day on record, with an attendance figure of 18,255…”. This photo accompanied the article, with lots of vehicles at the Visitors Center!
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From The February 13, 1981, Spaceport News
The headline article is “Shuttle Prepared For Flight Readiness Test”. The article, in part, reads “A full dress rehearsal of the Space Shuttle launch is scheduled for next week. The Orbiter Columbia's three main engines will roar for 20 seconds during an on- pad flight readiness firing that will serve as the final certification test for the main propulsion system. The dramatic readiness firing will be the first ignition of rocket engines on Pad 39 since the final Apollo flight in 1975. It will conclude a full scale launch countdown. Successful completion of the test should pave the way for the Space Shuttle's first launch, now slated for the second week in April…
… As a result of propellant tanking tests late last month, two areas of insulation on the external tank, one approximately 7 by 8 feet and the other about 4 by 4 feet, came loose from the aluminum skin of the tank… … The foam insulation can be stripped off and new foam applied by the standard methods… … To prevent any dislodged foam from striking the orbiter during the FRF, a nylon net has been stretched around the external tank in the area of the debonding. The net will remain in place until after the FRF.”
The netting is highlighted in red in the following photo.
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From The February 27, 1981 Spaceport News
The headline is “Shuttle Roars Past Major Milestone”. A portion of the article reads “…The orbiter Columbia's three main engines roared for the planned 20-second static firing - a major milestone leading to the first Shuttle launch… … In a press briefing held an hour and 40 minutes after the firing, KSC Director Richard Smith and KSC Shuttle Operations Director George Page expressed confidence that the maiden voyage of Columbia will come in April, as scheduled…
…Page told reporters the only anomaly in the test was the premature shutdown of hydraulic power units on the solid rocket boosters, a problem which appeared to be computer related… …Post-FRF inspections have shown some of the orbiter's thermal protection tiles suffered small nicks or chips of a type expected to occur during launches. They can be repaired by treating the surface with silica...
…The final major test activity prior to launch will be the "dry" Countdown Demonstration Test…”
Also in this issue; “Orlando To KSC Shuttle Resumes”. A bit of the article reads “…After a short interruption in bus service, a commuter bus is again running between KSC and Orlando each day… …The previous commuter route operated by Central Florida Coach Lines was cancelled soon after the State of Florida passed the transportation
Page 11 deregulation bill and, as a result, 30-35 KSC employees who commute daily from Orlando were without a ride. On Feb. 16, 1981, Gator Coach Lines of Orlando began service on the same route on a trial basis. According to Harry Thomas of Gator Coaches, the route will continue if ridership is high enough to warrant it…”
The March 13, 1981, Spaceport News
The headline is “Astronauts: 'We're Go For Launch'”. A section of the articles reads “Astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen said early this week that they're ready to fly the Space Shuttle Columbia on its maiden flight into space…
…After the dry CDDT will come two separate cryogenic load tests during which the repairs to the external tank will be tested by filling the tank with its super cold propellants…
…One of the more well-known areas of work remaining is the repair of the Space Shuttle's half-million gallon propellant tank. The most time-consuming aspect of the repair task - which began Monday - is the replacement of three areas of insulation which debonded during tanking operations in January… …The time required to design and construct special access platforms on the Rotating Service Structure, as well as the time to actually perform the tank repairs has been included in the estimate of an early April launch,
The following photo is included; no caption. Interesting manlift access to the ET is shown and note the temporary access board at the 50-1 door in the lower right, is similar to the earlier photo in this Summary.
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From The March 27, 1981, Spaceport News
The headline is “KSC Awaits Shuttle Launch Countdown”. Parts of the article read “The moment we've been waiting for is almost at hand… … A final "dry" run countdown called the dry Countdown Demonstration Test - was successfully completed last week. This was a full-dress rehearsal in which the flight crew underwent suit-up operations and spacecraft entry as they will on launch day… …At Spaceport News press time, the first Space Shuttle launch remained scheduled for the week of April 5. Repairs to the external tank insulation panels were scheduled to be completed and verified this week…
…While preparations of the vehicle were continuing, an investigation into last week's post-test accident in the aft orbiter section was underway. Several technicians - one who later died - entered a compartment which was being purged with gaseous nitrogen…
… Verification of the repair to the external tank panels will be made after the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks undergo a "high stress" propellant loading. A second tank loading will be done under the same conditions that will be followed for launch… …In a press conference following the Countdown Demonstration Test, Shuttle launch director George Page said he was pleased with the results of the rehearsal and that the launch team is "go."…
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“JOHN YOUNG discusses check list during suit-up.”
There has been quite a bit written about this mishap, which occurred on March 19, 1981, after workers were exposed to a gaseous nitrogen atmosphere in the Orbiter Aft
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Compartment. John Bjornstad passed on March 19. Another worker, Forrest Cole, passed on April 1, 1981, as a result of his exposure. Nick Mullon passed in April 1995, from complications from his exposure. The following is a very detailed account of what happened that day; https://www.baen.com/columbia. The following write-up is good, from NASA HQ Safety and Mission Assurance, among other good sites and articles.
Also in this issue; “Vice President Tours Shuttle, Voices Support For Program”. Bits of the article read “After climbing into the orbiter's cockpit, Bush eased into the commander's seat and received a first-hand report on America's new spaceship from the crew who will pilot the craft on its first voyage into space. "Hey listen, I looked over at Crip and John ... and for the first 30 seconds I was a little dizzy lying there with the blood rushing to my head…
… Bush later addressed the KSC workforce from the Launch Control Center, giving a hearty endorsement to the Shuttle program and heaping praise on the men and women who are making it a reality… …The Vice President told space center workers that he believes the Shuttle's first mission will re-awaken the nation's sense of pride… … Shuttle launch director George Page presented Bush with a Space Shuttle Team jacket and cap on behalf of the space center…”
“VICE PRESIDENT BUSH at the helm in Columbia.”
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“FLANKED BY Columbia commander John Young on his right and Columbia pilot Bob Crippen on his left, Vice President Bush accepts model of Space Shuttle from acting NASA Administrator Dr. Alan Lovelace as wife looks on.”
From The April 24, 1981, Spaceport News
The headline is “Columbia Sails On Fantastic Voyage”. Bits of the article read “We're back in the manned spaceflight business again… … The Space Shuttle thundered away from KSC's Pad 39A on its maiden flight a few seconds after the scheduled 7 a.m. launch on April12, the dawn of a new era in space…
…Both crewmen praised the vehicle for "performing like a champ."…. …And when it was time for Columbia to return to the ground, it responded flawlessly to computer commands and John Young's control stick. "What a way to come to California," remarked Crippen… …Touchdown came at 1:20 p.m. EST - two days, six hours, 20 minutes and 52 seconds after liftoff…”
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“JUBILANT LAUNCH TEAM celebrates successful launch of Columbia with an eruption of flag waving in Firing Room 1 (above).”
At the following, STS-1 launch team members are identified by name in the above photo. The NASA Alumni League Florida Chapter website, https://www.nalfl.com/, is a neat website!
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“Among the thousands of guests who watched the liftoff were Neil Armstrong - the first man to walk on the Moon - and former KSC Director Lee Scherer, who chatted briefly before the launch… …It may seem as unlikely as a 500-year-old astronaut but Buck Rogers was here to watch Columbia's maiden flight. Rogers - a reporter for the Deckerville Recorder in Deckerville, Mich. - was easy to spot in the crowd with his Uncle Sam top hat and patch-laden sport coat. While awaiting the launch, he met former Apollo Astronaut Rusty Schweickart”
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From The May 8, 1981, Spaceport News
The headline is “Orbiter Columbia Returns To KSC Nest”. Part of the article reads “Columbia's back in the nest… … A few thousand KSC employees, their families and tour visitors turned out to watch the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft land its world famous cargo on the Shuttle runway last Tuesday - exactly two weeks after Columbia's triumphant re\urn from orbit…
… On Wednesday, April 22, the external tank for the second flight arrived here by barge. Later that same day, the Canadian-built Remote Manipulator arm - a mechanical appendage which will handle payloads in orbit and perform other functions - was delivered. The manipulator arm will be installed on the orbiter and flown aboard the second flight for inorbit checkout…
… In a nationally televised speech the night Columbia returned to KSC, President Reagan honored the achievement represented by the first Shuttle flight. The comments were part of his address to Congress on the country's economy…”
Also in this issue, on the last page.
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From The June 5, 1981, Spaceport News
In this issue; “Young, Crippen Return To Thank KSC Workers”. In part, the article reads “STS-1 Astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen returned to KSC recently to thank workers and take a look at the spaceship Columbia, being readied for another journey into space on September 30. 'This is a family welcome and we're proud to have you back," KSC Director Richard Smith told the first Shuttle crew in a ceremony west of the turning basin… Joining in the welcoming were U.S. Representative Bill Nelson, Shuttle Projects Office Manager Dr. Bob Gray, Launch Director George Page and a crowd of KSC government and contractor employees … "You really did a good job," Young said. 'The vehicle worked just superbly. I sure want to thank you."…”
“KSC DIRECTOR Richard Smith applauds Crippen (center) and Young (at right).”
On page 2, “Space Telescope's Mirror 'Shaping Up' In Connecticut”. Sections of the article read “Shaping and polishing of the 94-inch-diameter primary mirror for NASA's Space Telescope has been completed at the Danbury, Conn., facility of the Perkin- Elmer Corp… … The 10-ton unmanned telescope will be launched from KSC in early 1985 aboard the Space Shuttle, which will place it in Earth orbit. It will have a mean orbital distance of 310 miles, putting it well above the interfering haze of Earth's atmosphere…
… The Space Telescope is of an optical design known as Ritchey-Cretien, a folded system with a secondary mirror in front of the primary mirror and the image plane behind the primary mirror…”
Of note, the Hubble Space Telescope launched on STS-31, April 24, 1990.
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“TECHNICIANS INSPECT primary mirror for Space Telescope”
Also in this issue; “Griffin Returns To Full-time At KSC”. Part of the article reads “Gerald D. Griffin, who has been serving as Acting Associate Administrator for External Relations at NASA Headquarters and KSC Deputy Director, relinquished his Headquarters duties Monday and returned to full-time duty here…”
From The June 19, 1981, Spaceport News
The headline is “Shuttle Cargo Readied For Next Flight”. In the following, OSTA stands for Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications. In part, the article reads “The first Space Shuttle Cargo Readiness Review is scheduled for today as the OSTA-1 science and applications payload is being prepared for flight aboard Columbia's next voyage into orbit.
Five experiments mounted on a Spacelab pallet will be flown in the orbiter's cargo bay while two other tests will be conducted from the crew cabin. OSTA-1's move from the Operations and Checkout Building where it has undergone pre-flight tests - to the Orbiter Processing Facility will involve the first operational use of the odd-looking payload canister. The canister resembles an orbiter which has had its forward and aft sections and wings lopped off. It rides on a 48wheel transporter. The payload's transfer to the OPF - where it will be installed aboard the Columbia is scheduled for June 29.
Meanwhile, a new Space Shuttle component the Remote Manipulator System's Arm - is slated to be moved from the O&C to the OPF tomorrow… … While it will not be used in conjunction with the OSTA-1 payload, the arm will be exercised during STS-2 on-orbit checkout tests…”
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“OSTA-1 pallet in O&C”
Also in this issue; “Group Retirement Coffee Honors 9 From Security”. A portion of the article states “Friends and co-workers crowded the fourth floor conference room of the Headquarters Building last week to honor nine retiring members of the KSC Security and Fire Office. On hand to pay tribute to Charles Buckley, Chief of the Office, and eight members of his staff were KSC Director Dick Smith, Deputy Director Gerald Griffin and former center director Lee Scherer.
Buckley, who has been KSC's Security Officer since the center was established, joined the space agency in 1960 and has personally accompanied every astronaut crew except one on their trip to the launch pad. Prior to joining NASA, he worked for the Atomic Energy Commission…
… The other retirees are Bill Homer, Deputy Chief of the Fire and Security Office; George Morford, Chief of Launch Operations and Physical Section Branch; Gordon "Robby" Robinson, Chief of Personnel and Industrial Security Branch; physical security specialists Al Carroll, Sherm Evans, Bill Hughes, and Steve Tatham; and Secretary Vera McClellan.
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Charles Buckley
From The July 3, 1981, Spaceport News The headline article is “Space Shuttle Processing On Schedule”. A section of the article reads “Work on Space Shuttle flight hardware for the Columbia's second mission is remaining on schedule, KSC's Shuttle Projects Manager Dr. Robert Gray said last week… … Gray said Pad 39A is "in the final stages of refurbishment" but added that some modifications may be necessary to reduce the effects of a pressure surge measured during the liftoff of STS-1…
… On tile activity, Gray said about 1,300 tiles are being replaced prior to the second flight. He explained that only a minimal number of these were actually damaged during STS1…
… One new activity required during STS-2 preparations will be to waterproof the Orbiter's thermal protection tiles in the transfer aisle of the VAB… … There will be no Flight Readiness Firing prior to the second flight but a propellant loading test and a "dress rehearsal" countdown demonstration test are scheduled…”
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“REMOTE MANIPULATOR Arm undergoing installation in Orbiter”
“SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS stacked for STS-2 stand alone on the mobile launcher.”
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From The July 17, 1981, Spaceport News In this issue; “Flag Displayed Properly”. In part, the article reads “If the volume of calls, letters and comments are any judge, a lot of people like to point out what they think is a mistake. The most recent "mistake" in question is the United States flag displayed on the right side of Columbia. Many people question the correctness of the star field, which is shown to the right rather than the left of the stripes. The flag is correctly displayed, however, according to regulations. U.S. Government regulations state that when a flag is displayed on aircraft, the star field precedes the stripes in the direction of aircraft movement. The flag is placed on the aircraft in this manner so as to appear to be flying…”
“STS-1 touchdown…”
From The July 31, 1981, Spaceport News In this issue, there is the following photo.
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This plaque has previously been on display in the LCC Lobby; see below! Thank you John Kracsun!
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From The August 14, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Shuttle Status: Columbia Is Almost Ready For Second Flight …”. Sections of the article read “Completing its first between missions turnaround, the Orbiter Columbia was towed into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) this week and mated with the other major elements… … With the Space Shuttle vehicle now stacked in the VAB, the next major test is the Shuttle Integrated Test (SIT), set for next week…
… At the pad, and on the mobile launcher platform (MLP), modifications are now underway to alleviate the overpressure wave which was uncovered during the launch of STS-1… … he modifications include a system of water spray heads which will create a 100,000 gallon per minute flood directly below the solid rocket nozzles… … A final system of fabric "water hammocks" which will be hung in the remainder of the solid motor exhaust holes is under development…”
“COLUMBIA approaches VAB.” Also on the front page; “…Second Fliers Are Almost Ready For Columbia”. A portion of the article reads “We’re working hard and we’re going to be ready when the bird is ready, STS-2 Commander Joe Engle told news reporters at last week’s Houston press conference. Engle and STS-2 Pilot Richard Truly expressed complete confidence in the “used” vehicle they will fly into space… … As a result of the difficulty the first crew had with keeping the wires of their communications headsets from getting tangled, the STS- 2 astronauts will use wireless headgear. While no Extravehicular Activity, or EVA, is planned for the 5 day mission, if time permits, Engle will rehearse suiting up and preparing for one as a dry run that will build experience for future flights. ..”
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“ASTRONAUTS Dick Truly (L) and Joe Engle (R), taking part in the recent Orbiter Integrating Test, are shown at the Columbia's aft work station.” Also in this issue; “Deputy Director To Leave NASA”. Part of the article reads “Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director Gerald D. Griffin has announced his resignation from NASA, to be effective August 22. He has accepted a position with Scott Science and Technology, Inc. (SST), of Lancaster, California. Griffin will serve as Vice-President for Operations with SST.
And on page 3; “KSC Songwriter Records Shuttle Ballad”. In part, the article reads “KSC's most celebrated songwriter has just gone Nashville in a big way. Jerry Rucker, an external tank foam insulation technician for Martin Marietta, has written and recorded a new ballad about the Space Shuttle entitled" America, Look Up."
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Rucker recently traveled to the mecca of country music to record the ballad. He sang the song himself in a style reminiscent of recording star C.W. McCall, and was accompanied by the same musicians who recorded Dolly Parton's hit "9 to 5" and Anne Murray's "You Needed Me." The flip side of the Space Shuttle record features Jerry Rucker doing a gospel duet with his-wife Linda.”
You can listen to the song at this site.
From The August 28, 1981, Spaceport News In this issue; “NASA Beechcraft Turned Over To County”. A bit of the article reads “A familiar NASA veteran has retired, but will continue to be active and useful to the community. NASA-6, a sprightly Beechcraft C-45, was turned over to authorities from Manatee County, Florida, recently. The plane will be used as a mosquito control spray plane to replace another craft destroyed by a tornado last year… … During its 13-year career with NASA, the plane has served as a passenger carrier, a lightning and Earth resources research craft, a photography platform and a cargo hauler.”
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From The September 11, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Columbia· Poised For Second Journey”. Some of the article reads “Columbia and its new external tank and set of solid rocket boosters crept out into a pre- dawn mist early last week, poised on a mobile launcher which inched slowly toward Pad 39-A… … Activities this week were centered on the "dry" Countdown Demonstration Test, during which astronauts Joe Engle and Richard Truly are to rehearse launch day preparations. Scheduled for next week is a test loading of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen into the external tank. Columbia's second flight into space is now scheduled for Oct. 9…
… Modifications to eliminate an overpressure problem which occured during the first Shuttle launch are still underway but scheduled to be completed and tested next week.”… … "The fix is simply to provide a curtain of water underneath the solid motor exhaust area so as the shock goes down… ‘ And on the last page.
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From The September 25, 1981, Spaceport News This photo is in the issue, no article.
“ASTRONAUTS Richard Truly, in front, and Joe Engle on Pad 39-A during dress rehearsal for STS-2 launch.”
From The October 9, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Astronauts Express Pride In KSC Efforts”. A portion of the article states “Prime crew astronauts Joe Engle and Dick Truly visited KSC early this week and said, "We're awfully proud of each and every one of you…
… The two referred to the efforts to clean up and recover after an oxidizer spill which forced the removal of hundreds of tiles and more than two dozen thermal blankets from inside the orbiter's Forward Reaction Control System…
… At press time, the launch of the second Space Shuttle mission was still scheduled for late October or early November…”
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“LAUNCH DIRECTOR George Page discusses Shuttle work with prime crewmen Joe Engle and Richard Truly.”
From The October 23, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Shuttle Liftoff Set For Early November”. A portion of the article reads “The STS-2 launch countdown is scheduled to begin a week from tonight. Call-to- stations is set for 1 a.m. on Oct. 31 with liftoff of the second flight of Columbia planned for 7:30 a.m. on Nov. 4. Crews were busy this week loading Columbia's orbital maneuvering and reaction control systems with hypergolic propellants in one of the last major operations prior to launch. It was during hypergolic loading four weeks ago that an accidental oxidizer spill resulted in damage to the orbiter's thermal protection system and a delay of the launch. The final heat protection tile was glued on the orbiter early last week as technicians finalized repairs to the damaged area… … In a change from STS-1, final ordinance installation and range safety checks have been taken out of the countdown and will be performed next week.”
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“ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL technician works on the FRCS fill part in the Columbia's nose section prior to fueling operations. Visible in the picture is the new plastic "bib" designed to shield the orbiter from any accidental spill of hypergolic propellants.” Also in this issue; “Columbia At Work: Science, Applications Experiments To Survey Earth”. Part of the article reads “After the folks at KSC and elsewhere have succeeded in getting Columbia off the ground and into orbit, the spaceship will spend the better part of its journey staring back down at the Earth it left behind. In its cargo bay will be a complement of pallet-mounted experiments that will survey Earth resources. The first Space Shuttle payload, … ...other than instrumentation carried aboard the first and second flights to study Shuttle performance, is called OSTA-1, named for its sponsor-NASA's Office of Space and Terrestrial Applications. Five of the OSTA experiments are mounted on a U-shaped aluminum pallet which is attached to the sides of the Orbiter in the cargo bay. Two other experiments are stowed inside the crew cabin… … Here's a summary of the experiments… …Shuttle Imaging Radar-A (SIR-A)-The largest and most conspicuous experiment on the OSTA pallet, SIR-A will test a new technique for mapping geological features that could point the way to valuable underground oil and mineral deposits….” Also on board are the Shuttle Multispectral Infrared Radiometer (SMIRR), Feature Identification and Location Experiment (FILE), Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites (MAPS), Ocean Color Experiment (OCE), Night/Day Optical Survey of Lightning (NOSL) and Heflex Bioengineering Test (HBT).
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“OSTA-1 payload (in center of cargo bay) and the Canadian-built manipulator arm (cradled on orbiter's left side) are seen here after their installation in Columbia for STS- 2”
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This photo is on the last page.
“THE EXTERNAL TANK for STS-3 is towed into the Vehicle Assembly Building where work toward the third Shuttle flight is already well underway. It's not obvious in this black and white picture but the new ET has a new look. Instead of being painted white, the tank is a natural apricot color. The cosmetic change will result in a weight savings of about 600 pounds.”
From The November 6, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Columbia's Second Liftoff Postponed”. In part, the article reads “A "race" with a computer and concerns over high oil pressure in auxiliary power systems teamed up to force a postponement of the second Space Shuttle launch on Nov. 4. At press time, estimates of how long it would take to correct the high oil pressure problem were uncertain, and a second launch attempt could not be forecast…”
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“STS-2 ASTRONAUTS Richard Truly and Joe Engle leave transfer van after returning to the O&C from the launch pad. Truly, flanked by Flight Operations Director George Abbey and Jean String of NASA Security, manages to smile despite the launch scrub.”
From the November 20, 1981, Spaceport News The headline is “Orbiter CoIumbia Returns To Space”. A portion of the article reads “The Orbiter Columbia was being readied this week for a triumphant return home to KSC following its milestone second flight into orbit… …Despite the loss of one of Columbia's three electricity-producing fuel cells, a malfunction which resulted in the mission being cut from 5 days to 54 hours, most of the major test objectives were achieved. It all began with a textbook perfect launch of the Shuttle on Thursday, Nov. 12 at a fraction of a second before 10:10 a.m. The STS-2 launch date came exactly seven months after Columbia's maiden flight. It also coincided with STS-2 Pilot Dick Truly's 44th birthday, a fact that didn't go unnoticed during prelaunch activities… …Work is already well underway on STS-3, currently scheduled for mid March.”
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From The December 4, 1981, Spaceport News On the first page; “Orbiter Columbia Returns To Spaceport”. Parts of the articles read “Just 11 days after touching down on the dry lake bed at Dryden Flight Research Center, the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia returned to KSC to be prepared for its next trip into space… … One of the primary systems to be analyzed is the electrical power supply system, including the faulty fuel cell which caused the early termination of the
Page 37 mission. Earlier this week engineers planned to begin work to remove the failed number one fuel cell by today….”
“KSC WORKERS greet Columbia.”
Also in the issue; “Ingenuity Conquers Overpressure”. In part, the article reads “All the watching thousands held their breath when the Solid Rocket Boosters ignited to start the second Space Shuttle on its thunder trail to orbit - but two hearts beat extra fast. KSC employees Larry Schultz and Jim Sullivan of Mechanical and Facilities Engineering were about to learn if the project they had been working on for several months would do its job - or if the Columbia would suffer structural damage within those first few seconds of fire and fury. A hidden monster had reared its ugly head in post-launch analysis of the STS-1 flight last April. Milliseconds after the SRBs began spewing fire, an overpressure wave bounced off the flame trench and back against the vehicle. The blast actually shook Columbia, moving flight control surfaces that had been locked into place and straining critical components… …They modified the Mobile Launcher Platform so that prior to liftoff a rapid flow of water could be directed into the exhaust holes underneath the boosters. No one knows yet exactly how this "water spray" system works…
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… The other weapon against overpressure, the "water hammock" system, works by blocking the overpressure wave. Each of the 68 hammocks that stretch across the exhaust holes contains a specified amount of water, ranging from 150 gallons to 40 gallons – about a foot deep in each trough… …According to Schultz, a "quick look" at the data from the STS-2 launch shows that pad and launcher platform mods reduced the overpressure to 1/4 to 1/7 of what it was on STS-1…”
“WATER TROUGHS, which stretch across SRB hole before launch”
From The December 18, 1981, Spaceport News In this issue; “Holiday Coffees Hosted By Smith”. A little bit of the article reads “Center Director Richard Smith held a repeat of his popular Christmas coffees last Friday. The informal get-togethers were held in the Headquarters Building, Operations and Checkout Building and Launch Control Center lobbies… …The custom for the get- together was started two years ago and has been so warmly received that it is likely to become a holiday tradition.”
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“CENTER DIRECTOR DICK SMITH greets Priscilla Effrey of NASA Headquarters…” Also in this issue.
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